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WAC TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK ANNOUNCED
MEN
Utah Valley's Nick Taylor and Seattle U's Shaddye Melu have been named Western Athletic Conference Track and Field Athletes of the week, respectively, for April 4-10.
Taylor, a senior from Pearland, Texas (Clear Brook HS) highlighted the twilight meet at the University of Utah on Friday evening setting the school record in the 200m dash. Taylor picked up his victory in the 200m dash with an impressive time of 20.74 seconds, placing him in sixth place in the NCAA Western Division.
Melu, a senior from Auburn, Wash. (Auburn Mountainview HS) broke the outdoor school record in the high jump (previously set by himself) and grabbed first-place with a jump of 2.15 meters (7'-0.5â€). He is now ranked No. 25 in Division I Outdoor, and No. 1 in the WAC in the event.
Other field nominees: UT Rio Grande Valley's Isaac Samuels posted a pair of top-five finishes at the Roadrunners Invitational. He posted a fifth place finish in the shot put after hitting a mark of 14.90 meters on the first day. On the final day, Samuels finished in third place in the discus as he set a new program record with a throw of 50.85 meters. He broke Isaac Ybarra's record of 50.70 meters that was set back in 2005. Utah Valley's Daven Russell posted a personal best mark in the discus throw, with a toss of 45.11m. Russell posted another career-best mark in the hammer throw with a mark of 47.25m.
WOMEN
Utah Valley's Jasmine Nesbitt and UT Rio Grande Valley's Megan Shaw have been named Western Athletic Conference Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, for April 4-10.
Nesbitt, a junior from Jerome, Idaho (Jerome HS) is currently leading the WAC in the 800m with a time of 2:12.18 and in the 1500m with a time of 4:34.29 after the weekend's meets.
Shaw, a senior from Refugio, TX (Refugio High School) posted a pair of wins at the Roadrunners Invitational after winning the discus throw and the shot put. Shaw set a new career-best after hitting a mark of 14.29 meters in the shot put, which ranks third in program history. She was the only thrower to surpass the 14-meter mark. In the discus throw, Shaw set a new-career high with a mark of 47.98 meters, which also ranks third in program history.
Other track nominees: NM State's Cristina Amberg won the 1500m with a time of 4:39.11 and is currently third in the WAC in this event. Seattle U's Lila Rice took first place in the 5,000 meter run after finishing with a time of 17:40.43, crushing her previous outdoor personal record. That time now ranks her at No. 5 in the WAC in that event. UT Rio Grande Valley's Teresa Sova posted a second place finish in the 1,500-meter run at the Roadrunners Invitational after crossing the finish line with a time of 4:52.82. Sova then won the 800-meter run after posting a time of 2:24.71.
Other field nominees: NM State's Jessica Schmitt finished third in the Hammer with a mark of 48.71m (159 ft. 10 in.), setting a new personal best. In the Shot Put, Schmitt set a new personal best with a mark of 14.20 (46 ft. 7.25 in.). Schmitt is currently third in the WAC in the Shot Put and fifth in the Hammer. Seattle U's Mandie Maddux broke a 10-year-old outdoor school record in the javelin with a throw of 40.18 meters (131'-10â€). She is now ranked No. 6 in the WAC in this event. Maddux also tied for third in the high jump with a height of 1.6 meters (5'-3â€). That jump is good for a No. 5 ranking in the WAC. Utah Valley's Chantil Martin threw the hammer for 51.01 meters, good enough for fourth place on the day.
GRAND CANYON ON THE NATIONAL SCENE
Three athletes from Grand Canyon are currently ranked in the top 30 in NCAA D1. One week after shattering the GCU record in the discus with a throw of 56.92 meters at the Willie Williams Classic, Tarasue Barnett improved upon her impressive mark once again. The junior from Kingston, Jamaica placed second overall with a throw of 58.99m. Her throw currently is the best in the WAC and the No. 8 mark in the entire country. Aaron Thurber won the men's 100 meters with a time of 10.34, the No. 20 time in all of Division I. Thurber is the WAC's fastest runner this season in the 100 and 200. Marcus Flannigan is currently has the No. 26 jump in NCAA D1 in the long jump with a jump of 7.58m.
BRYCE MILLER OF UMKC STEEPLECHASE
Missouri-Kansas City's Bryce Miller was the lone ‘Roo to compete over the weekend. The junior competed in the 3,000 steeplechase, posting a new school record with a time of 8:43.91, breaking his own record by a second. The time ranks first in the WAC by nearly 30 seconds and is the sixth-fastest time in the nation.
SHADDYE MELU OF SEATTLE U
Seattle U's Shaddye Melu is ranked No. 25 in NCAA D1 in the Men's High Jump. The senior broke Seattle U's outdoor school record in the high jump (previously set by himself) and grabbed first-place with a jump of 2.15 meters (7'-0.5â€).
WAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2016 WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships are hosted by Missouri-Kansas City and held in Kansas City, Mo. from May 11-14. Last year, the Utah Valley won and the Missouri-Kansas City women took home the championship.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2016 Outdoor Track and Field National Championships will take place in Eugene, Ore. from June 8-11.
June 8-11, 2016
Location: Eugene, Ore.
Facility: Hayward Field